Quick and Easy Mexican Dishes

Mexican food is fun and delicious, and with quick and easy recipes, it's a perfect family dinner for any night of the week. Make your own fiesta in no time with these quick and easy Mexican dinner recipes.

Easter dinner lets you mix things up, unlike at Thanksgiving, when there's the turkey and a list of must-have sides. Sure, many families love ham, but other main courses make appearances; everything from lamb to brisket can be found on American Easter tables. Side dishes are just as varied--some theme their dinners around the notion of springtime flavors like asparagus and minted peas, while others are just as happy to showcase heartier dishes like cheesy, creamy potatoes au gratin or a velvety sweet-potato puree.

I always like to try and re-create the meals I've enjoyed on my travels, and this Spaghetti Carbonara not only brought back some wonderful memories of Italy, it was so quick and easy to prepare that my husband and I could spend less time in the kitchen and more time reminiscing. It uses only 5 ingredients, and it's ready in just 20 minutes. When Under the Tuscan Sun came out in movie theaters in 2003, I watched Diane Lane fall hopelessly in love with the picturesque countryside of Tuscany -- and I, too, fell hard.

We're big fans of the smorgasbord, the Swedish buffet-style meal where groaning plates of herring, cheeses, salads, sausages, and vegetables present a perfect Scandinavian feast. And no smorgasbord worth its salt would be without kottbullar (Swedish meatballs). They're hearty, meaty party food (small enough so that they're easy to eat while you're mingling), and, served with a side of buttery noodles (sprinkled with parsley) or mashed potatoes, they're a great entree for nights when you don't have time to fuss.

No doubt two little words come to mind when you contemplate what to make for dinner on the day after Thanksgiving: quick and easy. What with all the baking, peeling, roasting, simmering, sauteing, and mashing that you've done in the past week, it's likely both you and your kitchen could use a break. But as sure as the sun will set, here comes dinnertime again.

Kids are creatures of habit. Until they're not. It can be hair-tearingly frustrating to serve up something they loved yesterday -- like pizza or burgers -- only to have them turn their noses up, literally, and pitch their flatware across the kitchen.